GARBAGE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM IN LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES

Transcription

1 GARBAGE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM IN LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES PART I. Introduction In the town of Los Baños in the province of Laguna, Philippines, garbage collection and disposal is a serious policy and planning concern, for two important reasons, namely: (a) the municipality is experiencing rapid growth of population and commercial establishments which generate ever larger amounts of municipal solid wastes; and (b) its domestic or household waste disposal practices have been observed to have caused a rise in solid waste related diseases, affected the environment, and contributed to water pollution in municipal rivers and in Laguna Lake. Thus, concrete measures need to be taken by the local government of Los Baños toward improving garbage collection and disposal without further delay, not only for health and sanitation reasons but for environment protection and the survival of the rivers and the lake itself. This case study highlights the efforts of the municipal government of Los Baños from 986 to 997 to improve garbage collection and disposal in the municipality. 2. Background of the Study Area In 997, Los Baños was classified as a second class municipality with an average income of Philippine Peso (PhP) 3 million over a period from 994 to 997. With this income, the municipal government has to improve further its revenue-raising capacity to be able to support the various public services, including garbage collection and disposal. Los Baños is located between the narrow shoreline plain of Laguna Lake's southern shore and the northern foothills of the legendary Mount Makiling. Bounded by the municipality of Calamba in the northeast, and the municipality of Bay in the southeast, Los Baños is 65 kilometers south of Metro Manila and 65 kilometers north of Sta. Cruz, the capital of the province of Laguna. Los Baños has an area of 5, hectares. This constitutes 3.2 percent of the total 9

2 land area of Laguna province. It has 3 barangays, one of which is located in the mountain of Mt. Makiling (Figure ). Among the barangays of the municipality, Barangay Batong Malake has the biggest land area with, hectares while Barangay Baybayin, the smallest barangay has hectares. In terms of population and economic activities, Los Baños is one of the rapidly growing municipalities in the province of Laguna. The census of 995 recorded the population of Los Baños at 7,683 or an increase of.8 percent over the 990 census. The annual growth rate from 990 to 995 was 3.5 percent. In 995, Los Baños had a population density of 3 persons per hectare. Barangay Bayog had the highest density of 58 persons per hectare; while Barangay Bagong Silang had the lowest population density with only one person per.4 hectares. 0

3 ANOS 2. BAGONG SILANG 3. BAMBANG 4. BATONG MALAKE 5. BAYBAYIN (TOWN PROPER) 6. BAYOG 7. LALAKAY 8. MAAHAS 9. MAYONDON 0. PUTHO-TUNTUNGIN. SAN ANTONIO 2. TADLAK 3. TIMUGAN 4. MALINTA (TOWN PROPER) LEGEND BARANGAYS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY BARANGAY PARTLY COVERED BY COLLECTION (COMMERCIAL AREA IS COVERED BY SWM SERVICE) FIGURE No. NOT DRAWN TO SCALE MUNICIPALITY OF LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES Figure. Map of Metro Manila GARBAGE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM IN LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES: A CASE STUDY Figure. Map of Los Baños

4 3. The Elements of Garbage Collection and Disposal Solid wastes in Los Baños are produced by households, commercial and institutional establishments, and the wet markets. About 50 percent of the total municipal wastes reportedly come from households, with the other 50 percent contributed by commercial and institutional establishments, and the wet markets (Luis, 993:3). It was difficult to obtain data concerning the quantity of household wastes in Los Baños. Besides of the absence of weighbridge at disposal site, the garbage collected cannot be accurately determined because the household wastes are likely to be eaten by stray animals, retrieved by scavengers, and get decomposed, before they are collected and disposed of. Utilizing the waste generation value developed by the World Health Organization in 978, the household waste generation rate in Los Baños is tons per day or approximately 0, tons per year. The highest amount of daily household waste is generated by Barangays Batong Malake (4.7608); Mayondon (4.5576); and Putho-Tuntungin (3.0736). Barangays Bagong Silang (0.2644); Baybayin (0.646); and Tadlak (0.7092) generate the lowest amount of household waste per day. Household wastes in Los Baños consist mainly of kitchen wastes; human and animal waste; garden waste; factory returnables like cans, glass, bottles, dry paper, cardboard, styrofoam, rubbers, dry cloth, and fiber; fine craft materials; and plastic disposable materials. Roughly, one-half of the wastes generated by the households come from food and kitchen wastes. These include vegetables and fruit peelings, leftovers, vegetable trims, fish and fowl entrails, soft shell, and inedible seeds. Similarly, household wastes are stored at home in different types of containers before they are collected by garbage compactors. Examples of these are expendable plastic bags and grocery bags. Metal and plastic cans, sacks, bamboo baskets, cooler box, pails, and used basin are also used as on-site storage. The household containers are sized to accommodate wastes generated by the family normally for two or three days. Expensive and fancy looking bins or containers are not utilized by the household for fear that these might be stolen or picked up by scavengers or the garbage crew themselves. 2

5 4. Health, Sanitation and Environmental Problems Arising From Household Wastes in Los Baños Health records of the Municipal Health Office of Los Baños (99-996) indicate that human waste-related diseases such as parasitism, gastro-intestinal disorder, dermatoses or skin diseases, respiratory tract infection, and fever rank high among the 0 leading causes of morbidity in the municipalities. In particular, cases of intestinal parasitism, gastro intestinal tract disorder, and diarrheal diseases ranked third, fourth, and eleventh, respectively, among the eleven leading causes of morbidity in Los Baños. While no outbreak of communicable diseases between 992 to 996 had been reported in Los Baños, these health data should cause alarm not only among the municipal health offices but most especially on the public on the potential health hazards of improper waste collection and disposal in causing the spread of waste-related diseases. In this regard, the municipal health office of Los Baños needs to be fully aware of their health potentials and take the necessary precautions. In Los Baños, wastes are dumped at the Jamboree Site in the place, which the local population call "Smokey Mountain." In this area, wastes are disposed of in an unsanitary manner. Not only does the site look unsightly, it emits unpleasant odours and facilitates the breeding of mosquitoes and flies. Since no sustained efforts or measures on the part of the municipal government are taken to treat wastes at the dumpsite, the risks are water and air pollution are high. An interview with some residents around the dumpsite revealed that much of these wastes find their way to the low lying communities in Los Baños and the Laguna Lake through water courses. Furthermore, during the rainy season, the air in the dumpsite becomes polluted with offensive odours; while during the dry season, the area becomes dusty and strong winds blow wastes like plastic, papers, etc. several hundred meters away. In fact, some of these wastes have even been seen hanging from nearby trees and posts. There is also aesthetic damage caused to the physical surroundings by household wastes thrown along the roads, streets, curbs, and vacant lots. Unsightly and stinking rotten garbage piles mar the pleasant ambiance and general cleanliness of the place. Added to this, open dump disposal invariably lessens the real estate values of adjacent 3

6 land and properties. Understandably, people refuse to establish residence in the areas near the dumpsite because of health, hygienic and environmental reasons. While garbage collection is not neglected in Los Baños, collection in some barangays of the municipality remains inadequate. For instance, litters and garbage piles along main streets and vacant lots of some barangays are common sight. Apparently, wastes are brought outside the house even before the scheduled collection time and day. The garbage are either scattered by animals or get blown by the wind. It has also been noted that wastes are indiscriminately dumped into the rivers and streams and find their way to Laguna Lake. The use of canals, streams, and rivers for household wastes disposal also impairs the flow of water. 5. Measures to Improve Garbage Collection and Disposal: During the period from 986 to 997, the municipal government of Los Baños initiated varied strategies to solve the problems of garbage collection and disposal, most of which were in the form of ordinances and resolutions. In the above 2-year period, legislative initiatives on garbage collection and disposal of the municipal government of Los Baños continued to increase. The municipal council enacted 2 ordinances and passed 35 resolutions relating to garbage collection and disposal. In addition, the local chief executive initiated improvements in transport, dumpsite, garbage collection and disposal organization and manpower to sustain garbage collection and disposal service. 6. Content of the Interventions/Strategies Ordinances From 986 to 997, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) (Municipal Council) of Los Baños enacted 2 waste-related ordinances (Table ). Eight of these provided appropriations for garbage collection and disposal services while three ordinances set rules and regulations against littering and wanton dumping of wastes in public places, canals, rivers, creeks, and the coastal area of Laguna Lake. The other one authorized the municipal mayor of Los Baños to sign a memorandum of agreement with the officials of University of the Philippines at Los Baños and the municipal mayor of Bay, Laguna to establish a common sanitary landfill for their refuse. 4

7 Table. SUMMARY OF ORDINANCES ON SWM, LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA CLASSIFICATION SUBJECT MATTER BY YEAR TOTAL. Appropriations -Procured and repaired garbage collection and disposal vehicles/ equipment and other SWM service facilities Prohibition of Certain Acts -Prohibited littering and arbitrary dumping of garbage in public places, canals, streets, parks, creeks, rivers, and the Laguna Lake. 3. Grant of Authority to Acquire Landfill -Granted authority to the municipal mayor of Los Baños to acquire a municipal sanitary landfill. TOTAL (Source) Sangguniang Bayan Los Baños, Laguna, 997 a) Appropriations In twelve fiscal years (FYs) from 986 to 997, the municipal government appropriated an aggregate amount of P8, 32,699. Table 2 provides data on the breakdown of the appropriation proposed for garbage collection and disposal services for the FY 986 to 997. The appropriations were budgeted to pay for the salaries and wages of the garbage personnel and the purchase of dump trucks and pushcarts. They were also spent for the maintenance and operation, the construction of communal bins, and the procurement of treatment chemicals. About P5,87,904 (70.64 percent) of the 5

8 appropriations went to the salaries and wages of the garbage workers while P,576,000 (8.96 per cent) was allocated to the maintenance of garbage equipment and dumpsite. On the other hand, P846,995 (0.9 per cent) of the appropriation was set aside for the procurement of dump trucks and the construction of communal bins, and P7,800 (0.2 per cent) for treatment chemicals. The appropriations for the municipal garbage collection and disposal were proposed generally to improve the physical facilities of garbage collection, e.g. garbage trucks, push carts, and communal bins. This may indicate that either the members of the council were not aware of any other options to improve the municipal garbage collection and disposal or were convinced that investments on dumpsite, garbage trucks and other collection equipment alone were sufficient to solve problems in garbage collection and disposal confronting the municipality. According to one member of the SB, the council considered garbage trucks, bins and pushcarts as common needs in garbage collection and disposal, which the municipal government must always provide in order to sustain the municipal garbage collection and disposal services. The bulk of the appropriations were allotted to collection while a very small share was budgeted to disposal. The reason given by the Office of the Municipal Treasurer was that the municipal government should spend more for collection because it assumed the collection responsibility of the entire municipality including the collection services of its barangays. On the other hand, the appropriation allotted to the disposal component was very minimal because the use of the dumpsite was free. To a certain extent, this argument was correct. However, the municipal government failed to realize that the existing dumpsite was degrading the surrounding environment and there was a need to improve the physical conditions of the dumpsite, which entail certain costs. For example, the municipal government should treat the garbage with chemicals regularly to stop its odor from spreading. It could also construct concrete walls around the dumping area to prevent garbage from spilling over to the adjacent vegetation. 6

9 Table 2. PROPOSED APPROPRIATIONS FOR SWM, LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA (IN PESOS) ACTIVITIES YEAR TOTAL PERCENTAGE TO TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS A. COLLECTION - Salaries and wages of SWM workers - Purchase of Dump Trucks and Other Collection Equipment. Maintenance and Operation (spare parts, gasoline, repair) -Construction of right of way and fence around the dump site 25,000 2,200 50,24 75,096 75,096 0,000 75,096 75,096 99,995 66,000 37, ,00 250, ,59 250,, , , ,000,22, ,000,54, , ,000,54, ,000 5,87, ,995,576, SUB-TOTAL 27,200 50,24 75,096 85,096 75,096 24,28 720,00 889,59,452,57 0,372,80 5,904,6 5,404,6 5 8,33, B. DISPOSAL. Purchase of Treatment Chemicals 5,000 2, SUB-TOTAL 5,000 2,800 7, GRAND TOTAL 27,200 50,24 75,096 85,096 75,096 24,28 730,00 889,59,452,57 0,372,80 5,904,6 5 (Source) Municipal Accountant Municipal Executive Budget, Sangguniang Bayan, Los Baños, Laguna,46,96 5 8,349,

10 b) Regulations The tasks of the municipal government to improve garbage collection and disposal were also directed at establishing measures to regulate littering and indiscriminate disposal of wastes. Between 986 and 997, the Sangguniang Bayan of Los Baños enacted three ordinances directed at penalizing littering and the deliberate dumping of wastes in public areas. These were: Municipal Ordinance No. 6, Series 988 ( An ordinance penalizing littering and dumping of garbage in public places, roads, canals, streets, parks, and premises of every private, public, commercial or industrial establishments ); Municipal Ordinance No. 29, Series 992 ( An ordinance on the implementation of proper waste collection and disposal in the municipality of Los Baños - classification of wastes; service fee for special waste and the fines for every violation ); and Municipal Ordinance No. 5, Series 994 ( An ordinance prescribing the use and issuance of a Sanitation Citation Ticket when a violation of any existing town sanitation and/or environmental protection ordinance is committed and for other purposes ). The existing ordinances on garbage collection and disposal are obviously outdated. These regulations had not kept up with the changing orientation of the municipal garbage collection and disposal and thus limited their usefulness to address problems in garbage collection and disposal in Los Baños. Generally, these regulations expressed very narrow concerns. Specifically, these regulations considered garbage as throw away and useless materials which caused pollution and posed health risks. Hence, it was important to control unnecessary dumping and littering; and to penalize violators. These ordinances were, therefore, primarily punitive and dealt with the general tidiness of the garbage in the municipality. However, with the continuous increase in population, indiscriminate dumping had become widespread and punitive actions against illegal dumpers had not been sufficient to ensure the cleanliness of the municipality. In addition, the ordinances did not provide a concrete mechanism to properly enforce the rules on garbage collection and disposal and to monitor compliance thereto. Apparently, the municipal government assumed that these rules were self-regulating and households would respond accordingly. c) Authority to Negotiate for Sanitary Landfill 8

11 Municipal Ordinance 85, Series of 996 ( An ordinance authorizing the Honorable Municipal Mayor of Los Baños to sign Memorandum of Agreement on the landfill at Pasong Kipot, Bay, Laguna; with UPLB, DENR-Region IV, and the Acting Municipal Mayor of Bay, Laguna ) was issued to authorize the Municipal Mayor of Los Baños to sign a memorandum of agreement with the officials of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños and the municipal Mayor of Bay, Laguna to establish a sanitary landfill for their common use. Los Baños needed an alternative disposal site for its refuse. In an interview with a former garbage collection and disposal employee of the municipal government, it was revealed that the municipal officials were pressured by various sectors in the municipality to close the existing dumpsite due to the health and environmental hazards it posed to the surrounding areas and communities downstream. It was generally acknowledged that the establishment of a non-polluting disposal facility could mitigate health risks and environmental hazards to the municipality. 7. Resolutions The resolutions initiated from 986 to 997 focused on different aspects of garbage collection and disposal (Table 3). They ranged from the routinary request for donation of garbage trucks to the more substantive strategies of delegating authority in garbage collection to the barangays. Briefly, these resolutions dealt with: (a) request from various sectors for garbage vehicles/ equipment; (b) appropriation to procure garbage vehicles/equipment and meet financial obligations on garbage related activities; (c) delegation of authority in garbage collection and disposal to barangay captains; (d) grant to barangays of a 50 percent share generated from the issuance of Sanitation Citation Ticket to violators of existing sanitation and environmental ordinances of Los Baños; (e) grant of authority to the municipal mayor of Los Baños to sign memorandum of agreement on sanitary landfill with other government offices, and acquire compactors for barangays; and (f) expression of thanks to donors of garbage equipment. 9

12 Table 3. SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS ON SWM, LOS BANOS, LAGUNA CLASSIFICATION BY SUBJECT MATTER TOTAL YEAR. Budgetary Appropriation -Procurement of garbage trucks/ equipment; other SWM-related expenses Grant Authority to Establish Sanitary Landfill and Donate Garbage Truck. Granting authority to the municipal mayor of Los Baños to acquire a municipal sanitary landfill and compactor Granting authority to the municipal mayor of Los Baños to hire and donate garbage truck; and transfer supervision of one compactor each to cluster barangays Request Garbage trucks/equipment -Requesting garbage vehicles/equipment from national government agencies/officials Requesting garbage trucks/equipment from private sector and foreign governments Delegation of Authority -Delegating authority and responsibility to perform garbage collection and 20

13 Table 3. SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS ON SWM, LOS BANOS, LAGUNA YEAR CLASSIFICATION BY SUBJECT MATTER TOTAL disposal to barangay captains of Los Baños. 5. Grant of 50 Percent Share from the Issuance of Sanitation Citation Ticket -Granting to all barangays in Los Baños a 50 percent share of collection from sanitation citation ticket imposed on violators of existing ordinances against indiscriminate dumping of wastes. 6. Creation of Task Force -Creating a task force to conduct a cleanliness drive in all barangays in Los Baños. 7. Expression of Support to Proposed SWM Project -Expressing to support the SWM Project ((CALA- UDEMP, PHASE I) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 8. Expression of Thanks -Expressing gratitude to donors of garbage trucks/ other SWM 2

14 Table 3. SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS ON SWM, LOS BANOS, LAGUNA CLASSIFICATION BY SUBJECT MATTER YEAR TOTAL equipment to the Municipal Government of Los Baños. 3 TOTAL (Source) Sangguniang Bayan Los Baños, Laguna December Executive Measures From 986 to 997, the municipality of Los Baños had two Municipal Mayors. The first one was appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino in 986 after EDSA revolution. He served as Officer-in-Charge of the municipal government for two years. In 988, he ran for Municipal Mayor but lost. The succeeding Mayor served three terms. His election in 995 was his third and last term. During their terms of office, both Mayors paid close attention to municipal garbage collection and disposal in terms of translating legislative initiatives on garbage collection and disposal into concrete activities, and in initiating other activities supportive of municipal garbage collection and disposal (Table 4). 22

15 Table 4. SUMMARY OF EXECUTIVE RESPONSES TO SWM PROBLEMS, LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA YEAR Requested Collection/ Disposal Equipment Visited Collection Area/Site EXECUTIVE RESPONSES: Programs, Activities Initiated SWM- Related Ordinance Created SWM Unit/ Task Force Sought Alternative/ Disposal Site Implemente d Clean and Green Program TOTAL Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily Daily since 992 (exclu-sive of Sat. and Sun.) (Source) Office of the Municipal Mayor Los Baños, Laguna, During his brief term as officer-in charge, the Cory-appointed Mayor contributed limited but important improvements in garbage collection and disposal services. In 986, when he assumed office, the municipality was confronted with enormous garbage collection and disposal problems. For instance, wanton dumping was widespread and uncollected wastes along the highway, vacant lots, and major roads were common sights. This was aggravated by lack of garbage trucks to step-up collection. The existing garbage trucks were old and needed repairs and the municipal government did not have the funds to acquire new garbage trucks. Thus, between 986 and 987, this mayor solicited dump truck or disposable vehicle from the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). He also initiated the adoption of Municipal Ordinance No. 6, Series of 988 to induce compliance with proper disposal of wastes. The ordinance amended Municipal 23

16 Ordinance No. 7, Series of 975 ( An ordinance penalizing littering and dumping in public places) by increasing the penalty for indiscriminate dumping from P5.50 (first offence) and P0.00 (second offence) to P25.00 (first offence) and P50.00 (second offence) ). This increase was recommended to deter irresponsible disposal of wastes in prohibited places. In addition, he appropriated a specific amount to purchase pushcarts and spading forks to be used by the street sweepers to collect litter and household wastes in areas outside the collection routes and deposit them in communal bins. For his part, the incumbent Mayor gave priority to municipal garbage collection and disposal. Part of his daily official activities was devoted to checking of the general cleanliness of some parts of the municipality. Every morning, before going to his office, the incumbent municipal Mayor would make a quick visit of the highway inside the town, some major streets, and around the poblacion2 to check on the uncollected garbage. The Mayor would instruct the garbage collection and disposal personnel to haul piles of uncollected garbage sighted in areas he visited. The Municipal Mayor also introduced changes in the existing organization of garbage collection and disposal services of Los Baños. In 992, upon approval of the 99 Local Government Code, the local chief executive transferred the supervision of garbage collection and disposal from the Municipal Health Office to the Office of the Mayor to enable him to personally attend to problems on garbage collection and disposal. In this regard, he created the General Services unit under the office of the Mayor. The office was assigned the task of waste collection and disposal. He appointed a technical assistant to supervise the service and hired garbage collectors and additional street sweepers to maintain the cleanliness of various parts of the municipality. Furthermore, he initiated other garbage collection and disposal-related activities to sustain garbage collection and disposal services in the municipality. He borrowed collection vehicles from the UPLB and the IRRI to haul garbage of the municipality, and heavy equipment from the district offices of DPWH and DENR to improve and widen the existing municipal dump site. He also requested garbage trucks from the Office of the President through the Presidential Management Staff. According to the garbage collection and disposal personnel, the Municipal Mayor had to seek outside assistance for garbage collection and disposal services due to the municipality's lack of garbage 24

17 vehicles and the lack of resources to acquire the necessary vehicles and equipment. Finally, the Municipal Mayor also sought ways to transfer the existing dumpsite of Los Baños to a safe and secure area because of persistent pressure from different sectors in the municipality to close the present disposal site. In 996, the municipal mayor signed a memorandum of agreement with UP at Los Baños and a neighbor municipality of Bay to establish a common sanitary landfill for their refuse. The plan was set aside due to the huge financial construction costs involved. He also signed a memorandum of agreement with the five adjacent municipalities of Calamba, Cabuyao, Biñan, Sta. Rosa and San Pedro to build a common sanitary landfill for their garbage based on a recommendation by the Cavite-Laguna (CALA) Urban Development Environmental Management Project (UDEMP), Phase I, Study conducted by NEDA, Region IV. An action program for the implementation of the sanitary landfill was proposed to be jointly prepared by the five municipalities. 25

18 Part II: Assessment of Executive and Legislative Measures in the Past Decade: The preceding factual description shows that from 986 to 997, the municipal government of Los Baños pursued varied but limited strategies to municipal garbage collection and disposal. Most of these were introduced by the Sangguniang Bayan in the form of ordinances and resolutions. In addition, the local chief executive implemented specific activities on garbage collection and disposal. An analysis of these initiatives revealed that most of these measures were implemented with satisfactory results. However, despite realization of the intentions of most of them, the over-all efforts of the municipal government at improving and expanding the municipal garbage collection and disposal leave much to be desired. To some extent, these interventions or strategies indicate inherent deficiencies that have far-reaching implications on the efficiency and long-term improvements in municipal garbage collection and disposal system. The following discussion examines the inadequacies as well as strength of the strategies in the last decade.. Inadequate Responses and Strategies (a). The responses were repetitive, less substantive and represented a limited mix of measures that had no tangible effects on the improvement of the municipal garbage collection and disposal system due to their non-implementation. The responses also showed that the municipal government did not have the capability to formulate a more comprehensive and substantive measures to garbage collection and disposal. (b). The responses had narrow concern. They were essentially directed at improving the physical component of garbage collection and disposal or its logistic support such as garbage vehicles, dump sites, etc. Although the physical elements were essential to municipal garbage collection and disposal, their effects on the cleanliness, sanitation and environmental protection in the study area were limited and short-termed. The fact was that garbage collection and disposal in large municipality like Los Baños had become a complex activity because of, among others, rapid urbanization. Under these circumstances, problems related to garbage collection and disposal activities should be seen in a broader context in which the physical solution forms only a part. The limited concern of the responses was also evident in its emphasis on enhancing 26

19 the collection aspect of garbage collection and disposal services. An analysis of the strategies of the municipal government to municipal garbage collection and disposal revealed that these were directed at improving the collection component and neglected the disposal aspect. The emphasis on collection had resulted in the wanton disposal of garbage and the deterioration of dumpsite. Rotten and uncollected solid wastes were common sights in public places, including canals, stream and rivers. On the other hand, the sites was fled up and posed considerable danger to the surrounding vegetation and communities downstream. Likewise, this was reflected in the area coverage of garbage collection service. Regular collection was generally confined to the town center where major commercial and the institutional activities, and high-income residential and housing subdivision areas were heavily concentrated. In Los Baños collection was limited to seven barangays and covered a mere 40 per cent of the municipal population (Figure 2). Furthermore, within the service area, collection was limited to major streets and along commercial establishments and housing subdivision, and neglected other heavily populated peripheral areas. (c). Furthermore, the responses were reactive. These were basically responses to problems of garbage collection and disposal as they occurred periodically and not as integral parts of a broader programmed responses of the municipal governments to garbage collection and disposal. These responses may have brought some positive effects but had failed to achieve significant long-term improvements in terms of efficiency and compliance with environmental requirements. 27

20 BAYOG MALINTA A A BAMBANG MAAHAS JAMAICA SAN ANTONIO DEPT. OF PUBLIC BATONG MALAKE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF BOYSCOUT RESETLEMENT UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES COLLEGE OF FORESTRY MT. MAKILING LEGEND DAILY COLLECTION OR 2X A MONTH COLLECTION NATIONAL HIGHWAY/ ROAD BARANGAYS COVERED BY COLLECTION BARANGAY NOT COVERED BY COLLECTION PROVINCIAL ROAD DUMPSITE FIGURE No. 2 NOT DRAWN TO SCALE COLLECTION ROUTE GARBAGE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SYSTEM IN LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, IN PHILIPPINES Figure 2. Collection Route NORTH 28

21 2. Absence of a Clear Policy and Planning Framework The deficiencies of the responses were tied up with the lack of a clear policy and planning framework, e.g., policy directions, strategic garbage collection and disposal plan, well-defined institutional arrangement and competent technical staff, adequate funds, appropriate technology, sustained information dissemination, operational regulatory measures, barangay and community participation, that supports the municipal garbage collection and disposal program. a. The municipal government had adequate authority to plan and implement garbage collection and disposal programs. However, this authority was not fully used to improve municipal garbage collection and disposal system. The implementing municipal government lacked explicit and well-defined policies for municipal garbage collection and disposal, which were necessary to provide directions in program planning and implementation. Corollary to this was the absence of a strategic plan that addresses present and future improvements in garbage collection and disposal as spelled out in the policy directions. The study showed that the lack of a clear policy directions and garbage collection and disposal plan in Los Baños was the weak link in coping with the ever-increasing quantity and characteristics of solid wastes. b. The municipal government lacked the viable organization and the competent technical staff to plan and implement garbage collection and disposal programs and projects. The municipality of Los Baños did not have specific structure and competent staff to carry out the activities of the municipal garbage collection and disposal program. This lack of a well-defined structure and competent technical staff to manage garbage collection and disposal programs accounted partly for the inefficiency of the garbage collection and disposal services in the study area. c. The financial support for garbage collection and disposal programs in Los Baños was inadequate. The funds provided by the municipal governments for their garbage collection and disposal services from 986 to 997 supported limited range of garbage collection and disposal activities that failed to bring about quality collection and disposal services during the 2-year period. Increasing financial support for municipal garbage collection and disposal programs in Los Baños posed a challenge to the municipal government concerned to look for ways and means to strengthen the financial base of garbage collection and disposal to ensure an improved waste 29

22 collection and disposal services. d. There was no organized and sustained information dissemination on garbage collection and disposal at the community level in the study area. Information dissemination on garbage collection and disposal was occasional and was tucked on campaign against unnecessary waste disposal in public areas or with directive or program from the national government such as the clean and green program imposed on Local Government Units for implementation. To be effective, information dissemination on garbage collection and disposal should be regularized and be broadened to address critical issues of waste prevention and waste minimization, why community do not manage wastes, and what combination of technical and educational changes are needed to achieve best results. e. There was lack of appreciation on the part of the municipal government of the study area on the relative usefulness of appropriate technology for garbage collection and disposal. This observation could be explained by the fact that the municipal government did not adopt a package of technology that could enhance municipal garbage collection and disposal system. There are appropriate technologies on garbage collection and disposal that the municipal government in the study area could use to strengthen the collection and disposal programs. These include processes, equipment and facilities, e.g., recycling, recovery and re-use; on-site storage for high and middle income area and communal stationary container for low-income area; push carts, manually operated composting plants, sanitary land fill, and methods to utilize these processes and facilities most efficiently, e.g., planning, community participation, viable organization, managerial and technical expertise, information management and financial administration. f. The enforcement of regulations on garbage collection and disposal was weak. It did not ensured proper waste disposal in prohibited areas. The enforcement was hampered by the lack of capacity on the part of the local authority to monitor compliance and apply enforcement procedures. Furthermore, the regulations were outdated. Their primary concern of controlling indiscriminate dumping to maintain the general cleanliness and sanitation of the municipality was not effective in sustaining quality collection and disposal services. An effective and operational regulation on municipal garbage collection and disposal should be supported with concrete programs on waste reduction and recovery at source, information dissemination, and barangay 30

23 and community participation, among others, to ensure effective implementation. g. There was lack of involvement of the barangays and the community or the private sector (NGOs, civic organizations, the business sector, the neighbourhood group and the community-at-large) in garbage collection and disposal. The study indicated that the barangays covered by the collection services had, if at all, very little involvement in the municipal garbage collection and disposal. Their participation was limited to implementing regulations against unnecessary disposal of wastes, and disseminating information on routine matters of collection services such as a change in collection schedule, pick-up points and penalties for violation. The barangay captains refused to assume the responsibility over garbage collection and disposal despite awareness of their authority to organize garbage collection services in their respective areas due to financial and manpower constraints. On the other hand, there was no evidence to show that the public participated in the garbage collection and disposal program of the municipalities. The study pointed out that there was no mechanism in which the community s views could be expressed and could influence improvements in garbage collection and disposal. Obviously, the municipal government of Los Baños followed a top-down process in securing compliance with proper garbage disposal rather that seek people s participation and identify their concerns, and draw from them their views regarding garbage collection and disposal. 3. Weak Administrative Capability to Undertake Garbage Collection and Disposal Services The inadequacies of the responses of Los Baños to garbage collection and disposal appeared to be related to its administrative capability to undertake substantive programs to enhance the garbage collection and disposal service. In Los Baños, the inadequacy of garbage collection and disposal program was partly due to the limited financial resources of the municipal government. The lack of funds hampered the municipal government to undertake the necessary improvements in garbage collection and disposal service. It was also due to the lack of a viable structure and competent technical staff for garbage collection and disposal, and the absence of inter-barangay or private sector cooperation. These deficiencies prevented 3

24 the municipal government from preparing a workable plans and programs on garbage collection and disposal for the municipality. The attention of the incumbent local chief executive to municipal garbage collection and disposal, however, had contributed concrete but limited improvements in garbage collection service. In 993, he personally requested the Office of the President of the Philippines two compactors and one dump truck, which were released in the following year. He also provided directions in the day-to-day operation of garbage collection and disposal by giving instructions to the garbage crew on how collection could be done. In addition, he moved around daily to inspect the highway, major streets and some areas in the town center. Through his regular routine of driving around some parts of the municipality, he was able to check on uncollected garbage in these areas. Lessons Learned and Further Challenges The measures and the strategies used by the municipal government of Los Baños to its garbage collection and disposal system were not effective in bringing about significant and long-term improvements in garbage collection and disposal services. The findings presented earlier in this case showed that these measures had inherent weaknesses, e.g., routinary, limited concerns and coverage, reactive that hindered satisfactory performance of garbage collection and disposal services. These inadequacies were reinforced by the absence of an explicit policy and planning framework that addresses present and future directions and improvements in garbage collection and disposal system. Similarly, the study indicated that Los Baños lacked both financial and technical capability. All these contributed to the failure of the municipal government to provide an effective garbage collection and disposal services to the community. The study has a modest contribution to the discipline of local governance in that - it brought into focus substantive institutional and procedural issues that are critical to effective policy and planning of municipal governments to development programs such as garbage collection and disposal. These may be summarized as follows: First, the responses of the municipal government of Los Baños to problems of garbage collection and disposal from 886 to 997 were less substantive. Specifically, these measures were routinary and had limited concerns. These were primarily directed at addressing the physical aspect of the program. While these responses may have, to a 32

25 certain extent, contributed positive results, these were not sufficient in bringing about sustained and improved garbage collection and disposal services. The municipal garbage collection and disposal has varied components. Besides the physical, it has economic, environmental, social, technological, and politico-administrative aspects were not properly addressed. These factors are necessary to ensure the efficient (present and future) operations of municipal garbage collection and disposal program. Furthermore, the responses was biased to a specific land uses. The measures had generally been initiated to sustain garbage collection and disposal services in the town center (poblacion) where economic and institutional activities, and the more affluent residential areas were heavily concentrated. Thus, these had neglected the peripheral areas whose residents comprised almost 70 per cent of the entire municipal population. Obviously, the program favored the town core and the few high-income communities. As a consequence, it encouraged unnecessary dumping and pollution loading of canals, streams, municipal rivers, and Laguna Lake with solid wastes. Several families in the peripheral areas lived along creeks, rives and shore of the lake. Without collection services, these families used these bodies of water as disposal sites for their garbage. Second, the inadequacies of the garbage collection and disposal services in the study area could be traced partly to the absence of a concrete policy and planning framework to sustain long-term improvements of municipal garbage collection and disposal system. In particular, there were no policy directions and strategic plans for garbage collection and disposal. This could account for the routinary, narrow and reactive responses of the municipal government to garbage collection and disposal. This could also explain the lack of a well-defined organizational arrangement and competent technical staff for garbage collection and disposal, appropriate technology, sustained information dissemination, inadequate funds, operational regulatory measures, and barangay and community participation. Finally, the performance of the municipal garbage collection and disposal program was affected by the administrative capability of the municipal governments to operate, manage, and sustain the delivery of garbage collection and disposal services. The lack of a well-defined organizational structure and technical staff, political support of the local chief executive, inadequate funds and collection equipment, and inter-barangay (or inter-municipal) and private sector cooperation are issues that should be considered in the delivery of garbage collection and disposal services. 33

26 Topics for Discussion. What are the types of household wastes (waste characterization)? 2. What are the health, sanitation and environmental problems arising from household wastes? 3. What policy and planning measures or strategies were devised by the municipality in response to problems involving the collection and disposal of domestic wastes from 986 to 997? 4. Did the measures or strategies contribute to the improvement of the domestic garbage collection and disposal of the study area? 5. What would be the consequences or implications of the various institutional factors or instruments (such as the garbage collection and disposal plan, organizational structure, financial base, regulatory measures, appropriate technology and involvement of the barangay government and the community) for specific activities of domestic garbage collection and disposal? 6. Is the municipal government of the study area capable of formulating and implementing workable responses to the problems of domestic garbage collection and disposal? 7. What framework should be proposed for an environmentally sound garbage collection and disposal policy and planning? How can this framework be implemented effectively and continuously? In the hierarchy of local governments, the barangay is the basic political and geographic unit in the Philippines. 2 Poblacion is the equivalent of the present day town. It is a term used during the over 300 years occupation of the Spaniards of the Philippines from 62 to